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Ani, I wouldn't say that southerners are the only group. Westerners, "way north" northern areas (such as Maine and Vermont) are the "but" of a lot of jokes. Even New Yorkers have their share (it seems that theirs a popular opinion that NYers are somehow 3 degrees of separation way from knowing someone in the "mob").

However I do agree that across the board though, southerners regardless of their economic status are more cordial and have better manners.

You mean - that isn't true - the 3 degrees of separation thing?

In all fairness, I do think Southerners are more polite in public places than most groups of people, but then . . . there is a flip side . . . along w/ that public civility can be some passive aggressiveness, as well. One thing about New Yorkers . . . you know where you stand w/ them and that is not necessarily a BAD thing. Southerners will grin and bear it even if they are seething inside. Maybe we can all learn from each other - find a happy median w/ the whole "civility" thing . . .

Location: Some got six month some got one solid. But me and my buddies all got lifetime here

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Miker2069

Even New Yorkers have their share (it seems that theirs a popular opinion that NYers are somehow 3 degrees of separation way from knowing someone in the "mob").

Only if you're an Italian. If you're an Italian living in Howard Beach you're 3 degrees away from John Gotti or Vinnie Gigante. If you're an Italian living in Jersey you're a degree or so away from John Riggi or possibly Tony Soprano.

Only if you're an Italian. If you're an Italian living in Howard Beach you're 3 degrees away from John Gotti or Vinnie Gigante. If you're an Italian living in Jersey you're a degree or so away from John Riggi or possibly Tony Soprano.

Brian, you have a "Holy" number....you must have been an extra in the Da Vanci Code?

That's truly a rose tinted statement. Southerners are no more or no less racist than people from the north or west. You might even make the argument that it's probably the same, just in the south it's a little more out in the open:

I would say that your statement is fair and possibly correct. Nevertheless, the Southern Poverty Law Center has its own internal problems. It has practically no credibility with the real world. It is outdated like the NAACP and is desperate to have any agenda to sustain existance. I don't understand your TV reporter incident reference. Are you trying to convey a point that whites have a habit of attacking blacks in the south? I assume that you live in the Charlotte area and read the paper and watch the news? In case you don't, whites don't often go around attacking blacks. Don't quite understand your point. Are you justifying your opinion (which is reasonable) on this sole incident, which isn't?

Location: Some got six month some got one solid. But me and my buddies all got lifetime here

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Quote:

Originally Posted by vindaloo

I would say that your statement is fair and possibly correct. Nevertheless, the Southern Poverty Law Center has its own internal problems. It has practically no credibility with the real world. It is outdated like the NAACP and is desperate to have any agenda to sustain existance. I don't understand your TV reporter incident reference. Are you trying to convey a point that whites have a habit of attacking blacks in the south? I assume that you live in the Charlotte area and read the paper and watch the news? In case you don't, whites don't often go around attacking blacks. Don't quite understand your point. Are you justifying your opinion (which is reasonable) on this sole incident, which isn't?

I would say my statement is very correct. Regardless of how you feel about the SPLC, it at least tells you that racism in the south is still very much alive and well. The video enhances that point that it's possibly a little more out in the open than in the north, even though it exists in both regions. To say that southerners are the least prejudiced people in the country screams of rainbows and unicorns. That would be like me saying that I think northerners are the least prejudiced people in the country. That statement won't get me anywhere either.

But the reality is that things havenít changed nearly as much as people think. Racial tension, especially in the South, has never gone away, and has never stopped being important. And race remains one of the defining factors in modern American politics.

It exists here to a large extent in both people born here and people moving here. You can't tell me otherwise.

Personally I don't care. Love who you love, hate you hate. Yes there's racial tension in the north, but they were also hanging nooses in the south.

We frequently get mocked by friends and relatives, still living in NY/NJ, about our move South.
But this last e-mail takes the cake. It contained a video attachment of Kelly Pickler making a fool out of herself on a game show, because she didn't know Hungary was a country. The e-mail read: "Boy, am I proud to have a Northeastern education."
What is wrong with people? Why bother sending this to someone who has just relocated to NC?
I sent this person an e-mail explaining that our children actually had to be tutored for several months, because the education they received in New Jersey was NOT up to par with what is being taught in their schools here in NC!
People are just so ignorant!

Sorry, just had to vent....

Thank you for saying it out loud!! We have been here a month and trust me...I was not expecting anything close to this. I have heard other NYers say that they are not happy with these schools here, etc. I am here to tell you, coming from Staten Island, we are bitter that our children have never truly learned. Instead they have learned the art of memorizing what they need for a test and forgetting it the next day! I have a third grader, fifth grader and a seventh grader. All were excellent students back in NY, high grades, and it looks like we have some adjusting to do. I am so pleased so far with the content and the work that they ahve been coming home with!

I can tell you that I am not the mom that complains for the sake of complaining. I hate the department of Education in New York and all that it has become. I do believe that at one time, a very long time ago, you could say that our children were getting a top notch education. That has not been the case for many years and certainly not since my children have been in the system. They each had ONE teacher that I could say actually made a difference in their life. Each of those teachers did not following the "curriculum" as strictly as they should have. If you are the person saying that your child got a much better education back in NY, then I say you don't know much about the curriculum that your child was being taught and you probably didn't attend many PTA meetings that we were screaming at for a change!!!

There is always the exception to the rule. We are from Staten Island, I have seen the difference and I am even more disgraced at the state of NY. From the first day of school citywides and state assessment tests are jammed down their throats. Teachers are frustrated and admittedly tell you that your children are not learning what they should be.

I, for one, am genuinely excited about how my children are going to learn to read and write correctly, not "creative spelling" because we have banished all spelling tests from the curriculum. UGH! I have said my piece and I share your frustration with the same ignorance that has come our way from people back home.

I am from NC but my entire family is from NJ. You would not believe the junk they say about us...to our face. Most people in NJ are so clueless about NC at least.

First off, they will try and pay you just to hear a certain word said. Why is it that yankees think they pronounce everything correctly? The fact is, yankees DO NOT pronounce many words correctly. Sometimes I want to scratch my eyes out hearing them talk. But you know what, I don't joke them about it.

When I was in Jersey last month...my cousin was telling me a story about a trip he took to Florida. Nearly everything he talked about was how stupid the local people were in Florida...etc....lol I wanted to say something, but I kept my mouth shut.

Last week, one of my aunts sisters past through going from Florida to NJ. We invited her to stay with us to break up the drive. When she got here, she called all here friends and was like "you will not believe this, I'm in the woods" over and over again. (with a sharp jersey accent) I really wanted to vomit. lol

Don't get me wrong, I love my family. We are italian and I love going up to visit a few times a year. But sometimes enough is enough!

Location: Some got six month some got one solid. But me and my buddies all got lifetime here

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Originally Posted by Beffrey2

Why is it that yankees think they pronounce everything correctly? The fact is, yankees DO NOT pronounce many words correctly. Sometimes I want to scratch my eyes out hearing them talk.

And many southerners do? How many times do you hear a southerner pronounce something that leaves out a consonant or misprounces the sounds of two vowels strung together (how many times have I heard the word "oil" sound like "ole" or "spoil" sound like "spole"..)... That's proper english? With all due respect to the southerners here, please...

There's a reason why newscasters who hail from the south take vocal lessons to rid themselves of the accent.

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